By Kevin Williams
Wow, I've definitely become an Aldi fan after being Aldi indifferent (SIGH, no, this is not a paid post, I wish it were). We've been going there rather regularly now. It saves money, but it's also fun. That's a combination that doesn't often go together. Each trip there is like a treasure hunt. The only drawback is sometimes you find something one week and it's gone the next, but that unpredictability kind of makes it fun. And some products are, in my opinion, simply better. Dang, that mayonnaise they have is REALLY good. Berman's is the label it is sold under and, in my opinion, it has a bit more bite than Hellman's. Which is a good thing. The mayo is tangier which adds an extra zip to sandwiches. Now when I try Hellman's I just find it bland.
They have a brand of wine that I've taken to enjoying. The brand is "Winking Owl" and at $3.99 a bottle, what is there not to like? Here's a review a sommelier more knowledgeable than I wrote. I just know I like it. Pleasantly surprised with the selection of organics that they have at Aldi and after suffering through a winter of dry, rather tasteless "cuties" (my favorite citrus fruit of choice), Aldi has plenty of them and they are juicy and just they way I like them.
Even the quarter deposit to get a cart,which I used to find annoying, I now find endearing. Aster loves putting the quarter in and going back to return the cart for the quarter, which turns the trip into even more fun. And no dings on your car from runaway carts! And the quarters bring out a friendly streak in people, as total strangers happily pass along their quarters from one person to the next.
Since Aldi is owned by a German conglomerate, you see a lot of European chocolates at Aldi.
We bought this brand of cheese pizza, these pizzas are huge. I had to take it out of the box to get it to fit in the freezer.
More dessert...
Shirley
Kevin, I totally agree with you about Aldi. Like you, it took me a while before I could get myself to shop there. Now, I look forward to my little adventure there every couple of weeks. I definitely save a lot of money. I just moved and now have an Aldi just a stone's throw away.
Cyndy Keyes
Hi Kevin,
So glad you have tried Aldi again and have come to love it! My husband and I shop there all the time and find it saves us a lot of money while offering us great food. Their pizza is delicious, produce is always fresh, dairy is great and the basics are so much more economical than other places. We know they don't have everything and we fill in with items from other stores. Love the pay for use carts!
Cyndy
Kevin
That pizza is really good!
Nana
Another Aldi plus to watch for are reduced items. They are not outdated-just something they are no longer carrying or leftovers from promotions. Aldi tends to pick a culture, Asian, German, Thai etc. and run a conglomerate of featured ethnic foods which can be quite interesting. They are not going to be put into regular stock so when the weekly specials are over they often reduce what is left. The same is true for holiday items and not just candies. Specialty cheeses , baking items, beverages are reduced to clear. It is not good to be rushed going through an Aldi store because you need to look at the items. I agree on the Burman mayonnaise. I was a diehard Hellman's fan until it reached four dollars a jar and I felt compelled to find a more economical brand. I like the taste and I especially like the price at $1.89 a jar. Half the cost for a good product--I'm sold.
Kevin
Good advice, Nana, I'll definitely keep an eye out for the reduced items next time!
lois
Daughters and I like Winking Owl pinot grigio, $2.89 at the Columbia City, Indiana, Aldi's. We recently did a blind taste test with it, a $12 bottle and a $24 bottle. Guess which won?! Aldi's, of course. Wish they had a cheap Scotch I could try..... Wine, chocolate, the $1.49 baguette and German foods at Christmas are my best buys. And hummus. There used to be an excellent rice pudding in the dairy case, but haven't seen it for a while. The German stores sell electronics cheap, too. And you know Aldi's is a cousin of Trader Joe's?
Kevin
Lois, yes, I knew about the Trader Joe's connection, but I've missed seeing the $2.89 bottle of wine, I'll look for it. I keep buying the $3.99 Winking Owls. Love the story about your family taste test, I am a fan of Winking Owl!